About food in Japan

Grilled tea (ほうじ茶) parfait at Morinoen, Ningyocho (人形町)

Ningyocho (人形町), literally meaning "dolls town", is an interesting district for a stroll in east Tokyo. The name reportedly comes from the history of the town where a few of Japanese traditional puppet theaters had been there or where a lot of puppeteers lived there in Edo period. Nowaday one of major theaters for Kabuki and other plays, Meijiza (明治座), stands on the town. 

Apart from Meijiza, many small shops, bars, restaurants and studio of Japanese traditional craftwork can be found in the district. Many of them have been loved and supported by local clients for long years. In the heart of Tokyo, Ningyocho reminds us a good old day of Japan, while walking and shopping around at the town. It exist in a town of 10 minutes drive from Tokyo station where tens of Shinkansen bullet trains run in and out. 

Morinoen (森乃園) is one of such small but great shops. The tea shop with a century long history is specialized in Hojicha (焙じ茶), Japanese grilled tea. If you walk down the main street of Ningyocho on weekday afternoon, you may sense the roasting tea aroma. The scent comes from the second floor of Morinoen making grilled tea. The brown tea has excellent flavor and joy different from fresh green tea. It gives you a calm peaceful moment.

It will be a good idea to get a pack of Hojicha, Japanese grilled tea at Morinoen for souvenir. What can't miss at Morinoen is not only the tea leaf.

On the second floor, the tea shop offers a cozy tea salon, next to the studio making tea grilled. The small space is filled by local guests and staff are running around to serve them.

The list of attractive Japanese sweets from ice cream parfait, anmitsu (beans paste and syrup), sweet bean soup to dumplings, will make you be in trouble to select just one or two from them. So let's take the one very unique to the tea store.

This is it, Hojicha ice cream parfait

Ice cream, jelly and cream, all of Hojicha flavor

as well as small pieces of cake, dumplings

fill a tall glass.

 

That is another way to enjoy the grilled tea introduced by the tea shop master.

Why not try it?

 

Tea store and cafe name: Morinoen 森乃園

Official website: http://morinoen.jp/

Address: 2-4-9 NIhonbashi-Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 

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Amanoya, a good-old-day cafe next to Kanda Myojin Shrine

In Japan, a school year almost ends and we see students holding graduation ceremonies at any kind of schools from elementary to universities. Some of these students must have visited the Kanda Shrine, which has 1300 years history as the guardian of Edo or Tokyo, one or a few months before taking entrance examination, wishing their success in the challenges. Winter season including New Year is the busiest time for Shrines, when they need warmly to welcome prayers with each strong wish.

So the small cafe, being proud of 160 years history along with the shrine, does. Amanoya under the 6th generation shop manager owns a food store and Japanese style cafe located just nest to the red gate of Kanda Myojin. The food store is known for Amazake (甘酒, sweet hot rice wine) and its food products made of soy beans, such as Natto (納豆, fermented beans with very strong odor) and Miso (味噌, as well fermented beans paste, used for miso-soup in many cases). Amazake is a good item for a short break after visiting the shrine.

If you can take longer relaxing time than just a cup of Amazake, open the small door with wooden frame, just next to the small food store maybe packed with even a few visitors. Both the food store and old cafe are operated by same owner and have same name "Amanoya" (天野屋). 

Enter and look at inside. The world is completely different from what we can see in Akihabara noisy electric shopping town, still a kilometer away from there. 

 

Could not imagine such peaceful space with small courtyard.

Objects, sign boards, clocks and everything can be seen at the cafe

represent "good old days" of Japan

that we have almost forgotten in our modern digital life. 

 

Wow I felt as if I came to grand-parents' old house. It is a kind of time-trip.

 

As for the food, Amanoya offers many traditional dessert and food plates that would never tarnished the good-old-day atmosphere. 

 

As a few examples...

Warabi mochi (わらび餅, traditional cake made from starch)

It is enough soft to be escaped from thrust by a folk.

 

 

Konjaku potato cake with sweet miso paste.

It must be good match with sake or beer rather than Japanese green tea.

 

Other plates by Amanoya include Mochi (rice cakes) or Anmitsu (Japanese style parfait) and shredded ice with syrup in Summer.

 

Kanda Myojin Shrine and Amanoya are situated between two JR stations Ochanomizu and Akihabara. It takes less than 10 minutes walk from the well-known electric shopping town Akihabara. It is a good idea to stroll up a hill to the Shrine before or after shopping around modern Japanese products. Then you will see the opposite side of Japanese culture as well.

 

Cafe name: Amanoya (天野屋)

Address: 2-18-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website in Japanese: http://www.amanoya.jp/

Website of Kanda Myojin Shrine in Japanese: http://www.kandamyoujin.or.jp/

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Kit Zutto Project by Kit Kat Japan

Kit Kat is one of the most popular chocolate confectionaries in Japan as same with other parts of the world. Kit Kat Japan launched new project for the earthquake and tsunami relief called "Kit Zutto Project" (in Japanese, "kitto zutto" means "will be forever") this month, after a year from the disaster. 

Kit Kat Japan created a new package specialized for the project and Yen20 per pack sold will be donated to "Sanriku Railway" company whose three-coach-long train service facilities got seriously damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, while the train has been appreciated as essential transportation service by people living in the area. As a part of the relief project, Kit Kat Japan also opened a Facebook page where you can post supporting message to the small local railway company as well as people on the Northeast coast of Japan.

In addition to the charitable activity, what is interesting for Kit Kat funs is the flavors in the chocolate pack. The Kit Kat package "World Variety" especially made for the disaster relief project includes three different flavor; "Japan", "Australia" and "United Kingdom".

Did you know that? Kit Kat are sold around the world but the company Nestle has changed the flavor slightly country by country.

As per the explanation on Kit Kat "World Variety" package, compared with Japanese version...

UK style, which is the origin of the sweets, has flavor like burnt sugar or milk and almond paste is used as hidden taste,

Australian style has creamy vanilla flavor.

 

I tried these flavor pieces and recognized the differences as described.

Personally I prefer the Japanese version the most and as the second UK's bitter taste.

It will be interesting to compare the taste of Kit Kat in different countries and exchange opinions among friends. Which one do you like the most?

Not only "World Variety" package, Kit kat Japan offers many different flavors by places and by periods, such as Matcha (green tea), sweet potato etc. Try to find each local version Kit Kat at souvenir shops, supermarkets or convenience stores across Japan, while you are traveling. 

Only a point of disappointing you maybe is that the Kit Kat disaster relief pack is sold only in Japan. Even if you do not have a chance to visit Japan soon, at least you will be able to participate in the relief project by posting your message on the Facebook page.

 

Kit Zutto Project English version Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/kitkat.japan?sk=app_182534635192608

Sanriku Railway Story Youtube video made for the relief project 

"hekkonda" (dented) terrine de chocolat by es koyama

Mr. Susumu Koyama is one of the most popular confectioners in Japan. Some of you may know his name because of his prize "the Most Outstanding Foreign Chocolatier Award" obtained at the 2011 Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

Fluffy roll cake "Koyama Roll" and Baumkuchen produced with high quality rich eggs are two main products of Mr. Koyama's patisserie located in residential area of Hyogo Prefecture. The 1200 square meters theme-park-like world of "es koyama" might be too far for many people to visit by traveling for 40 minutes from Kobe or Osaka, while a group of his shops each specialized in pastry, chocolate, jam, bread and ice cream as well as atelier of Baumkuchen, cafe and cooking school must be fun place for sweets lovers and worth spending almost a day there. 

Here on this blog, we would like to introduce his unique character or a sence of fun, something different from es koyama's main products roll cake or Baumkuchen that must be loved by everyone from children to elderly.

 

We found the most popular confectionary's new product at Salon du Chocolat Tokyo, another version of the highly influential event presented in Japan last month.

 

The chocolate cake is called "hekkonda", literally "dented" in English. 

Just as the top of the box, looks like mountain...

 

 

Opening the package, we found a box inside colored in vivid pink unexpectedly and a message from the chef in English on top of the cake wrapped with silver foil. 

 

 

"hekkonda" terrine de chocolat is named after the shape of it.

Through the baking process, most part of the cake has been swelled out,

while only the central part has been sank and been lower than the edge.

The award-winning patisserie chef Mr. Koyama felt it quite interesting and

has named the new product after the cake's look "hekkonda".

Of course not only the cake's name is significant. 

The chocolate cake has very rich cacao flavor 

 in the soft and fresh texture.  

As the Salon du Chocolat recognized, it is surely the work

by "the Most Outstanding Foreign Chocolatier" in the world.

 

Apart from es koyama flagship boutique in Hyogo prefecture, his products are sometimes available at special promotion events at major department stores mainly in Kansai region(Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and surroundings) or through its online store.

 

Shop name: es koyama

Website (Japanese): http://www.es-koyama.com

Website (global): http://www.es-koyama.com/global/index.html

Movie at 2011 Salon du Chocolat Paris: 

http://www.es-koyama.com/movie2/movie.html

 

 

Toraya Cafe, Roppongi (トラヤカフェ, 六本木)

Toraya (虎屋) is an established sweets maker born in Kyoto over five hundreds years ago. The Japanese traditional sweets producer, mostly known for their high quality Yokan (羊羹, red beans cake), offers their modern Western style products in different way from their Yokan.

Toraya Cafe at Roppongi Hills, highend shopping complex in Roppongi, looks ordinary modern cafe from outside along Keyakizaka street. Its dessert menu is not what we can find at ordinary Western style cafe, for example cheese cake, chocolate tarte etc.

Fresh sweets at Toraya Cafe are created with the knowledge and skills by the established Japanese traditional sweets producer. Japanese ingredients such "an" (餡, sweet red beans paste) and matcha (抹茶, green tea) are mainly used. We can also recognize their new challenges to generate good harmony with non-Japanese ingredients like cacao. They look like Western style dessert but the flavour remains Japanese taste. 

Another point, what can't be missed is, unlike ordinary modern cafe, Toraya Cafe provides Japanese tea on the menu list, which must be also good combination with Toraya sweets.

Try the interesting fusion between East and West and also between tradition and modern.

Cafe name: Toraya Cafe at Roppongi Hills

Address: Roppongi Hills, Roppongi-Keyakizaka street, 6-12-2 Roppongi, MInato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.toraya-cafe.co.jp/

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"Japanese Ice" OUCA, Ebisu (恵比寿)

It's getting cooler day by day in Tokyo though.

 Why not taste Japanese autumn flavor in fresh hand-made ice cream at a small cafe in warm atomosphere in Ebisu (恵比寿).

Japanese Ice cafe OUCA offers several flavors of hand-made ice cream with carefully selected ingredients across Japan. The flavors are changed by season and the cafe gives you a chance to choose 3 to 5 flavos in a cup.

 

Flavor in photo:

seasonal fruits Kaki (柿, persimmon),

Matcha green tea and

Kinako (soy beans powder) & Kuromitsu (Brown suger syrop) 

 

Enjoy home-made Japanese seasonal harvests at the small cozy cafe with interior inspired by Japanese traditional motifs. 

   

Cafe name: Japanese Ice OUCA

Address: 1-6-6 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.ice-ouca.com

大きな地図で見る

Hot pepper cookie by Royce Ishigaki (島とうがらしクッキー, ロイズ石垣)

You may know Okinawa prefecture, the southernmost rich-nature islands region in Japan, for the beautiful beaches, Churaumi aquarium or unique folk culture. Recently our mind was hit by the news that The Ritz Carlton Hotel will open its first resort property in Japan in Okinawa main island next spring. 

For us, Japanese people, Okinawa is one of the most popular destination for summer vacation, which arracts any kind of travellers from family with young kids to romantic honeymooners.

An interesting sweets (or snack?) has been reported to us from Ishigaki Island.

It is called "Shima togarashi cookie" (島とうがらしクッキー, Island-hotpepper cookie).

Hot pepper in cookie?!  Seems to be "Yes" as red pepper picture is depicted on the package box as well as the words "13% included hot pepper made in Okinawa". 

The other thing to be mentioned for the cookie is that it is made by a company called "Royce Ishigaki". It is a subsidiary of the most known chocolate producer in Hokkaido "Royce Confect". Royce founded its subsidiary for cacao tree cultivation on the far south island, at another edge of Japan, four years ago. 

Hot pepper cookie sounds strange, while cookie by Royce brings us high expectation...

As it opens the small pack, it is nothing change from ordinary one.

Let's try it.

Uhhnnnn...

 

 

Firstly It is rich in cheese flavor. As per the official site, two kinds of cheese Edam and Camembert are used for it. After the cheese flavor, I felt spicy hot pepper in my mouth. A bit hot and spicySurely hot pepper can be interestingly recognized in the cookie. As snack, it must be matched with chilly beer. It is well-arranged, good souvenir for Ishigaki and Okinawa islands. 

 

Products by Royce Ishigaki, including Hot pepper cookie, are available at major souvenir shops on the Ishigaki Island as well as some stores at Okinawa-Naha Airport, otherwise online store by the company.

Royce Ishigaki home page (Japanese version only) 

 http://shop.royce-ishigakijima.com 

 

Royce Confect (English) 

http://www.e-royce.com/english/index.html

 

Hot pepper cookie is available at souvenir shops in these hotels in Ishigaki island. 

ＡＮＡインターコンチネンタル石垣リゾート　＜石垣島＞

ホテル日航八重山　＜石垣島＞

軽井沢倶楽部　ホテル石垣島　＜石垣島＞

石垣リゾート　グランヴィリオホテル（ルートイングループ）　＜石垣島＞

On other islands

小浜島リゾート＆スパ　ニラカナイ＜小浜島＞（南西楽園ツーリスト提供）

ホテル日航アリビラ

ホテルＪＡＬシティ那覇

Mt. Takao (高尾山), what to eat there? - Japanese traditional sweets at Yukido (有喜堂)

Following my previous post about Mountain Takao area, here I am introducing Japanese sweets shop for getting souvenir of Mt. Takao and for taking a break with sweet desert after your exciting walking tour in nature.

Since early twenty century, Yukido (有喜堂) has been serving to temples on the mountain as well as tourists visited there. It is one of the most established sweets maker house in the area.

Yukido has two properties in Takaosanguchi (the gateway for Mt. Takao); one which is the main store, close to the railway station along the National Road and another on the way to Cable and Lift stations. Both buildings are in traditional Japanese style with cafe space and they are an oasis of mountain climbers in cosy atmosphere with wooden décor.  

 

Let's try Japanese traditional style desserts, green tea or coffee at the cafe or get "iconic"-souvenir Takao Manju (steamed buns) or Takao Senbei (cookies in shape of maple leaf).

 

My souvenir shopping are Takao Senbei and Yokan (羊羹, beans paste cake) with marrons.

 

 

Related post: Mt. Takao (高尾山), what to eat there? - Tororo Soba (とろろそば)

Shop name: Yukido (有喜堂)

Address: 

<Main store> 2302 Takao-Machi, Hachioji-city, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

 

<Kanmi (甘味) store> 2478 Takao-Machi, Hachioji-city, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

 

Accommodations in the area

 

京王プラザホテル八王子

Nara-zuke sable (奈良漬サブレ)

I got an interesting cookies as souvenir from Nara (奈良), the ancient capital of Japan over a thousand years ago. 

 

The package looks like a "normal" chocolate chip cookies, apart from the title on the box. It is written "Nara-zuke sable (奈良漬サブレ). Nara-zuke (奈良漬) is local speciality pickles of Nara (奈良).The vegetable pickles flavoured with sake kasu (酒粕, sake lees) actually has long history and it was recognized on a commerce document of 1300 years ago. 

I have been curious how they can make sable (cookies) with pickles?!

As shown on the package, Nara-zuke sable is produced under collaboration between sweets making school "Donner Du Gateau" and the academic institution Nara Women's University. Hoping that the local speciality pickles is widely introduced and is taken by many people, these two organizations developed French style cookies (sable) by taking advantage of alcohol, sweetness and salt ingredients brought from Nara-zuke.  

The one I had also includes ginger (しょうが, shoga). 

Having a piece of the sable, if I say, the taste is rather close to raisin cookies which often flavoured with rum and grapes. No strong sake flavour remains. It can be consumed even by children, because alcohol component is disappeared already. 

That is a nice way to introduce local historic speciality to people who are unfamiliar with the local pickles

 

Nara-zuke sable is available at branches of traditional pickles store, Yamazakiya (山崎屋) in Nara and Rakuten online shop through the link below. (not exactly same with what I had, ginger included) The one is pure Nara-zuke sable, no ginger.  

奈良漬サブレ630円（8枚入り） 価格：630円（税込、送料別）

 

Yamazakiya (山崎屋), established Nara-zuke local pickles shop is located close to Kofukuji (temple, 興福寺) and National Museum in Nara. 

大きな地図で見る

Ruri, Ginza (瑠璃, 銀座) - cafe with Japanese-Western sweets

It is rate to find a cosy space with nice cups of tea and cakes in Ginza, as many of cafe in central locations are always busy and filled with guests. Ruri (瑠璃), who's name represents "lapise lazuli" in Japanese, was newly opened in 2010 just a few blocks away from Ginza 4-chome crossing. In spite of the central location, the space and surrounding are calm and can be a good oasis while enjoying shopping at luxury boutiques.

 

What is great of Ruri is not only the modern Japanese taste interior and decorations but also sweets selections offered on the menu, Due to the cafe's owner company, Mon Chou Chou based in Osaka, Ruri cafe provides several selections of Mon Chou Chou sweets including very popular "Dojima Roll" (堂島ロール).

 

Dojima Roll (堂島ロール) is made with fresh cream from Hokkaido and wrapped with soft sponge cake. The sweet is awarded as Grand Gold Quality by Monde Selection in 2010 and it is greatly appreciated by Japanese clients. People are always making a queue line for Dojima Roll at Mon Chou Chou stand in major department stores in Tokyo. Some cases it is sold out.  

 

Here we do not have to make a long line to get a piece of cake rather we can have it with tea at the comfortable cafe space.

Maccha roll is exclusive to the cafe Ruri. Sponge cake and cream is made with maccha, Japanese green tea. Sweet beans paste is inside of maccha cream. It makes combination of Japanese traditional ingredients and Western-style roll cake.

Casuteran, natural honey is used for and served with fresh cream and sweet beans paste to dip.

Ruri has not only cafe space but also sweets gift shops attached where we can find these fancy cakes and other sweets in gift box for take away.

 

Cafe name: Ginza Ruri

Website: http://www.ginza-ruri.com

 Mon Chou Chou official home page: http://mon-chouchou.com

************* UPDATE 9th September 2013 *****************

Unfortunately Ginza Ruri Cafe was closed.

Some sweets mentioned above post, such as Dojima Roll are still available at boutiques of Patisserie Mon Cher in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

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